Summary
Kidney disease is a major and growing health challenge across Africa, yet African populations remain vastly underrepresented in genetic studies of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Harnessing Africa’s unparalleled genomic diversity to understand kidney disease risk and improve patient outcomes requires both cutting-edge science and a new generation of African leaders in kidney genomics.
Our inaugural KidneyGenAfrica short course, was delivered in partnership with Wellcome Connecting Science, and brought together a diverse group of postgraduate and early-career researchers from across the continent to strengthen knowledge, practical skills, and collaborative networks in the genetic epidemiology of kidney disease. Through this five day intensive workshop, at the University of the Witwatersrand, participants explored CKD phenotypes in African populations, critically appraised genetic contributors such as APOL1, and gained hands-on experience with genome-wide association studies, polygenic risk scores, and emerging multi-omics approaches.
Through expert-led seminars, interactive discussions, and practical data analysis sessions, the course provided a platform to examine ethical and community considerations in African genomics, share research across diverse contexts, and develop project proposals. Participants left with new technical skills, strengthened professional networks, and a deeper understanding of how to drive equitable kidney genomics research across Africa.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the participants could:
- Explain the burden, phenotypes, and genetic contributors of chronic kidney disease in African populations, with reference to global comparisons.
- Critically evaluate emerging evidence from genomic, epidemiological, and biomarker studies of kidney disease in Africa.
- Apply core methods in genetic epidemiology and bioinformatics (e.g., GWAS, risk scores, multi-omics) to interpret kidney disease data.
- Assess the ethical, regulatory, and community engagement challenges of genomics research in Africa and propose practical solutions.
- Design collaborative research proposals and outline strategies for advancing kidney genomics leadership in Africa.
For any queries, email training@kidneygenafrica.org
Faculty
